Devon stood by the window as he stared at the vibrant glow of the day. Still asleep, Cassie lay on her stomach on a roll of blankets Luther had gathered. Devon, Melissa, and Chris had gathered snow from outside and packed it onto the burn marks marring her delicate skin. Julian, Liam, and Annabelle had managed to flee to safety before the sun hit them, but he stupidly hadn't realized Cassie would also have to escape the sun now.

He should have known better, she never should have been injured; her life never should have been in jeopardy. There were only two vampires who could withstand the daylight, himself and Zane. He should have gotten her to safety before the sun burned her so badly, but he still couldn't quite fathom that she was a vampire. She would be with him from here on out; she would be his for eternity.

Or she would have been anyway, if things had gone right, but things hadn't gone right. He could see it as clearly as the rest of them could. It was far more than just her eyes that were wrong and different. It was her. He just didn't know how fundamentally different she was, yet.

Devon moved away from the window as she stirred. Everyone's attention instantly turned to her, no one moved, no one breathed. Devon knelt by her side and touched her shoulder carefully. Though her skin was still red, the welts and deep burn marks were already healed. Devon had slipped a flannel shirt onto her backwards so if she sat up suddenly she would be covered, but her back was clear of all clothing.

She stirred again and a small moan escaped her. "Cassie." He brushed her hair back from her face and shoulders.

She turned toward him, and her eyes opened slowly. His mouth parted, relief and joy filled him as her eyes met his; they were slightly unfocused, but they finally settled upon him. He was unable to find words as he gazed into those beautiful eyes. The startling azure color, the one that reminded him of a perfect summer day was back. The deep amethyst flecks speckled through them shone brilliantly in the shadows of the store room.

"Cassie," he whispered.

She smiled sleepily up at him, her delicate hand curled around his. "What happened?"

Devon wrapped both of his hands around hers. "The sun."

Her delicate brow furrowed in confusion. "The sun?"

"Yes love, the sun."

Realization dawned in her spectacular eyes as tears bloomed within them. "I see."

"Cassie..."

She shook her head as she rapidly blinked back her tears. "It's ok. It's ok."

Before he could stop her, she braced her arms beneath her and shoved herself up. Devon grasped hold of the edges of her shirt, careful to avoid the burns still marring her skin as he held it in place. He knew she might be one of the most powerful beings he'd ever encountered, but he was struck by how fragile and lost she appeared now.

"Cassie..."

"I'm fine, really."

"Let me help you."

He held the shirt and helped her to her feet. She shuffled to the bathroom and disappeared inside. He waited impatiently by the door, his arms folded over his chest as he listened to the sound of running water. Julian appeared amongst the rows of shelves, some of which had been toppled over and destroyed. Their contents had scattered across the store and created a rattling symphony sometimes when people walked.

"What happened to the shelves?" Devon inquired.

Julian's electric blue eyes were vivid in the illumination filtering from the coolers. The white bands around his pupils dilated. "She was dead Devon. She died in my arms."

Devon shuddered as he recalled the shattering that had radiated through him when he'd felt Cassie's life force vacate her body. He hadn't felt it return when she'd reawakened, either because he had been so engulfed by vengeance, or because what had come back wasn't the same Cassie that had left. Perhaps it wasn't the Cassie his mind was connected to, his soul was bound to.

He wasn't sure what had risen up to take the place of the Cassie he cherished, but no matter what he was going to keep her safe, and she was going to stay by his side. "I see," Devon murmured.

"It wasn't a pleasant moment. I lost my temper, as did you."

Devon snorted in response as he ran a hand through his distorted hair. "That's putting it mildly."

Devon straightened away from the wall as the door to the bathroom creaked open. The shirt was far too large on her; she had to roll the sleeves up multiple times in order to get them to stay off of her hands. She glanced between them as she fidgeted with the edges of the overlong sleeves.

"My eyes are no different," she stated.

"Not right now, no," Devon agreed.

She frowned at him as she chewed on her bottom lip. "They’ve been red before."

"Not like this Cass."

Her frown deepened as she glanced away from them. "I don't understand."

"Neither do we," Julian said softly.

Devon shot him an angry look. She was confused and flustered enough without Julian adding to her troubles. Julian shrugged in response, but he appeared sheepish as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "How are you feeling?" Devon asked.

Cassie still didn't meet their eyes as she stared at the ceiling, the shelves, and finally the floor. "Fine."

"Are you hungry?"

She finally met his gaze. "Hungry?"

Julian glanced nervously at Devon. It almost seemed as if she had a concussion. He knew the change could be dramatic, frightening, and more than a little disorienting but he didn't recall being like this. "Hungry Cassie, hungry," Julian prodded.

Her attention turned to the rows of coolers; her eyes absently searched their contents. "No, I'm not hungry."

"Not that kind of hunger, Cass," Devon said kindly.

Her eyes shot back to his, her gaze cleared and a small laugh escaped her. "Of course," she breathed. She shook her head as she grinned up at him. Devon's heart melted, for the first time since she'd been changed, he didn't feel alarm over what she'd become. Because standing before him now was Cassie, his Cassie the one he knew and loved so very much. "I'm an idiot. No, I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not a child either. I'm not hungry." Devon's skin prickled. Her shoulders slumped as she ran her hand through her tussled hair. "Sorry," she murmured. "I'm fine, please stop worrying about me. I'm fine right now."

Julian quirked an eyebrow as he exchanged a look with Devon. Devon was fairly certain Cassie knew she wasn't fine, but for now she was holding it together, and that was all they could ask for.

"This was what I wanted after all." Her gaze came back to him, and for the first time he didn't see any confusion or doubt in her gaze. She slipped her hand into his and smiled reassuringly. "I wanted this, and I said I would deal with the consequences of it."

Devon savored the feel of her silken skin. Her hand was cooler to the touch now, but it didn't fail to send heat through his body. "Consequences?" Julian asked.

"There are always consequences aren't there?" Cassie inquired.

"Well yes, but what are those consequences?"

She shook her head as her eyes became distant. "I don't know. Matthew saw different paths, different things..." She broke off; her hand squeezed his as a shudder tore through her. "I don't think he made it."

Devon shook his head as he pulled her closer a step. He'd searched for Matthew with Chris, but though they hadn't gone far he'd seen no sign of the mutilated Elder, not even a blood trail. "I don't think so either," he told her.

She frowned as sadness crept over her features. "It's probably for the best. He wasn't like them; he was broken and so sad. He saw so many things I could become."

"What do you mean?" Devon asked quietly.

Her forehead furrowed as she shook her head. "It was awful, all of his visions, all of them. They filled my head and I saw what he has seen, I saw it all."

Her gaze slid past Julian. Devon realized the others had crept closer to listen to what she had to say, to learn what she’d become. "You might as well come closer," she told them. "All of you should hear this."